It is extraordinary just how solar power can change thousands of lives. Most westerners think of solar power in relation to its capacity to save us a buck or two or to help this planet. A few even think about how it will help countries like the United States become energy independent, which actually has the potential to prevent possible future wars over oil and other traditional energy sources.

But the real impact of solar power and energy can be seen in poverty stricken countries, such as India.

Last year India introduced a $19 billion plan to bring solar power to its people, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars and countless lives.

Now it has approved 1000 megawatts of solar projects in the next three years, by 2013. The country also plans to have as much of 20,000 megawatts by 2020. According to the Clinton Climate Initiative, solar power and energy in India will cost less than coal in less than five years. India is already ahead of the curve in its wind power generation.

By bringing solar power to the poorest of the poor, lives are being saved and the future generations are being affected. Solar power in cities such as Bangladesh is creating cleaner, more hygienic homes, is allowing women the freedom to spend less time doing household chores and is giving children the opportunity to study and pull themselves out of the slums.

It might be difficult to believe, but it is true that solar power has the ability to do all of these things.

There are areas in India that are not reached by electrical grids that remain in darkness and without hot water. It extends the hours of daytime for both parents and children and also helps irrigate some lands that would otherwise remain barren. Solar run pumps can pull water from deep in the ground so farmers can grow crops in otherwise useless land.

By installing solar panels that generate electricity, homeowners are able to generate light into homes that have been dark for decades. This ability to see helps people keep their homes cleaner and more hygienic. In addition, the energy spawning from solar panels also allows women to stay closer to home where they can focus on keeping a clean home or even building a business by getting rid of excess time spent carting gallons of water up from rivers.

Women are being freed from excessive manual labor due to solar energy being brought to their homes. They are able to keep their homes clean easier by the availability of more water and the option to have water heated without using expensive coal, which often must be saved for cooking.

In addition, children are freed from excessive chores and are able to study in bright lit rooms that were once dark. Having daytime hours extended through solar powered electrical lights has made a dramatic difference to families. By bringing solar energy to the poorer regions in third world countries, the lives of those residents will be changed forever.

Author Bio: Frank Yocanis has been writing about solar energy for more than a decade. He is an expert on how solar power will enhance our world and our lives.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: solar power arizona, solar energy phoenix, solar, India